Justice News

Armed Felon Sentenced on Drug and Gun Charges

United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Willie James Tunstall, 36, of Spanish Fort, Alabama, was sentenced this morning to 100 months’ imprisonment on gun and drug charges. Court documents show that Tunstall was involved in the distribution of crack cocaine and cocaine powder, and that he was also a convicted felon who was caught with a gun by law enforcement officers on one occasion. Investigators also conducted some controlled purchases of drugs from Tunstall, and when they attempted to arrest him on those charges, he led officers on a high speed chase down Highway 98 and into the Daphmont community in Daphne. Tunstall abandoned his vehicle and attempted to hide in an adjacent wooded area, but officers located him and some cocaine and crack cocaine he attempted to conceal in the underbrush. The investigation reflected that Tunstall was involved in the distribution of cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, Xanax, Lortab, codeine syrup and methamphetamine ice. Tunstall pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and felon in possession of a firearm in January of 2018.

United States District Court Judge William Steele sentenced Tunstall to 100 months’ imprisonment on each count, with the sentences to run concurrently, noting that Tunstall had significant criminal history. Tunstall was also ordered to undergo drug and alcohol treatment and counseling while serving his sentence. The judge also ordered that Tunstall serve a six-year term of supervised release when he is discharged from his custody sentence, during which he will undergo further drug and alcohol abuse treatment. Williams was also ordered to pay $200 in mandatory special assessments, but no fine was imposed.

The case was investigated by the Daphne Police Department, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Baldwin County Drug Task Force and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United Sates Attorney Gloria Bedwell.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama at http://www.justice.gov/usao/als/

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